Apparatus for making salt.



No. 686,7!0. Patented Nov. 19, I901.

L. J. BUBEAN.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING SALT.

(Application filed. Jan. 26, 1901.)

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UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFIC LOUIS J. BUREAN, OF DELRA'Y, MICHIGAN.

'APPARATUS FOR MAKING SALT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,710, dated November19, 1901.

Application filed January 26, 1901. Serial No. 44,771. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs J. BUREAN,a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Delray, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Making Salt, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has particular reference to an apparatus for making salt,more particularly designed for carrying on its continuous manufacture onan extensive scale; and to this end the invention consists in theemployment of an inclined cylindrical vessel adapted to slowly revolvewithin the furnace chamber, whereby the direct application of the heatis obtained to convert the brine contained within the vessel into saltwithout danger of burning; and the invention further consists in theemployment of means for removing the salt and keeping the cylinder cleanwhile running and in the means whereby the whole of the interiormechanism may be removed without dismounting the cylinder for purpose ofrepair.

The invention consists, further, in the peculiar construction,arrangement, and combination of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa vertical central section through a furnace, showing the inclinedcylindrical vessel in elevation, the hood being broken away to show theinterior mechanism. Fig.- 2 is a longitudinal section through the cylinder, showing the conveyer and operating mechanism in elevation. Fig. 3is a horizontal section on line w :0, Fig. 2, the conveyer mechanismbeing shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of theantifriction-rolls, showing the construction of the adjustable box. Fig.5 is a perspective view of a section of the conveyer-chain, showing oneof the scrapers. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the upper end of thecylinder and supporting mechanism. 1

As shown in the drawings, 1 is the furnace, provided with doors 2,grates 3, and chimney 4, all of usual construction.

5 is an inclined cylindrical vessel, preferably made of boiler-iron andof a length to extend across the entire furnace-chamber and be supportedby the walls thereof and the supporting-brackets 6 and 7, carrying theantifriction-rollers 8, upon which said cylinder is revolubly mounted,and 9 represents antifriction-rollers carried by the support 7, adaptedto pressagainst the head 10 of the cylinder and take up the end thrust,suitable tracks 11 being provided for all of said rollers.

12 is a trunnion formed on the head 10, mounted in suitable bearings onthe support 7, and 13 is the usual thrust-collar, while 14 15 aresprocket-wheels of different size for driving the cylindrical vessel atvarying speeds, as desired. 7

17 is an additional adjustable thrust-bearing acting upon the end of thetrunnion, a suitable plate 17 being interposed between the same.

18 is a stationary hood slipped on over the upper end of the revolvingcylindrical vessel 5 and is provided with a suitable dischargespout 19and pipe 20, communicating with the chimney.

21 is the inlet-pipe for the brine, which is maintained at a certainheight within the vessel by means of an indicating-float 22, and 23 is apipe for admitting cold air into the cylinder and discharging the sameat or near the surface of the brine, and by reason of the draft createdby the pipe 20, communicating with the chimney, all steam and moisturewill be carried oif.

The antifriction -rollers are all provided with roller-bearings andadjustable boxes, so that should the drum become warped by reason of theheat or the expansion and contraction of the metals take place the rollscan be adjusted so that each will do its work.

2i is an inclined conveyer removably secured within the revolvingcylinder and does notrotate therewith, but .is held in fixed position bymeans of the shaft 24* being mounted in the arms 25 of the support 6.The conveyer is composed of the two sets of grooved guide-rails 26,connected together at their opposite ends by the member 27 28, in whichthe transverse shafts 24 29, carrying the sprocket-wheels 30, aremounted. The connecting member 28 is made U-shaped in plan View and isprovided with a trunnion-bearin g 28", adapted to support the lower endof the for repairs.

conveyer within the cylinder, as shown in Figs. 2and 3, while 31 is amoldboard secured to said member and adapted to turn the salt containedwithin the lower end of the cylinder into the buckets or scrapers assaid cylinder slowly revolves.

32 is an endless sprocket-chain passing over the sprocket-wheels 3Q andprovided at intervals apart with bottomless buckets or scrapers 32,adapted to scrape the salt up to the top of the cylinder and to thedischargespout, the inclinedportion 33 acting as a drainingboard beforethe salt is discharged.

34-. represents guide-lugs secured to the side of the chain and adaptedto travel in the grooves formed in the guide-rails, so that the scraperswill just clear the bottom of the cylinder, suitable means beingprovided, as shown, for taking up the slack in the chain.

35 represents ways upon which the guiderails 26 are adapted to slide,should it be desired at any time to get at the interior parts For thispurpose all that is required is to remove the detachable hood and bymeans of a tackle draw the entire conveyer from within the cylinder, thetrunnionbearing 2S being so arranged that it is selfentering in beingreplaced, and should the salt become caked while the conveyor is removedall that is required is to let the conveyer slide into the cylinderuntil it sticks and then start the cylinder to revolving,wh'en themoldboard 31 will loosen the salt and feed it to the scrapers until thetrunnion has found its bearing. It will also be noticed that the majorportion of the weight of the conveyor is taken up by the arms 25, as theshoulder of the trunnion-bearing 28 does not seat against the head ofthe drum, but is supported a slight distance therefrom, so as toeliminate all possible friction, and as these cylin ders are made fromforty to fifty feet long and four to five feet in diameter their weightis enormous when filled with brine, and the element of friction forms agreat factor.

My apparatus is comparatively cheap and simple and has the capacity ofseveral salt grainers or evaporators of ordinary construction, by reasonof the direct application of heat, without danger of caking or burning,which is so troublesome where the heat is applied in one spot all thetime. Further, I am enabled to produce a finer quality of salt, as byvarying the speed of the cylinder I can get any degree of heatand incombination with the vari able speed of the scrapers any degree ofagitation necessary to produce the largest quantity of salt of anydegree of fineness, and by reason of the scrapers and the moldboardoperating at right angles to the cylinder there are no dead ends and thecylinder is always perfectly clean, thus not requiring the necessity ofshutting down the plant in order to scrape the incrustation from theevaporators or pans, as is such a common occurrence and entails muchloss of valuable time.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In an apparatus of the characterdescribed,the combination with a furnace-chamber, of an inclinedcylindrical vessel open at its upper end and closed at its lower end,extending across said chamber in direct heating contact with the fireand revolubly supported at its opposite ends, a trunnion carried bythelower end of said vessel and means for rotating said vessel throughthe medium of said trunnion, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with a furnace, ofan inclined cylindrical vessel extending across the furnacechamber androtatably mounted in bearings, said vessel being open at its upper endand closed at its lower end, a conveyer removably secured within saidvessel, operating at right angles to the line of rotation of the vesseland means for imparting movement to said vessel and conveyor.

3. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with a furnace, ofan inclined cylindrical vessel in said furnace adapted to contain thebrine, antifrictionrollers adapted to revolubly support the oppositeends of said vessel, a trunnion carried by the lower end of said vessel,mounted in bearings in the supporting-frame and means for impartingmotion to said vessel through the medium of said trunnion, a conveyerhaving its lower end pivotally mounted in said trunnion and anadjustable stop carried by the supportingframe adapted to take the endthrust from said trunnion.

4. In an apparatus for making salt, 820. ,the combination with afurnace, of an inclined vessel having a detachable hood at one end, anda closed head at its lower end carrying a trunnion j ournaled in thesupporting-bracket, antifriction-rolls adapted to revolubly sup portsaid cylinder, and a secured set of antifriction-rolls acting againstthe head of said cylinder to take up the end thrust therefrom.

5. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with a furnace, ofan inclined cylin drical vessel revolubly mounted in said fur nace andadapted to contain the brine, a conveyer stationarily mounted within thecylinder, but removable therefrom, and a moldboard carried by the lowerend of the conveyer to feed the material to be conveyed to the conveyoras the cylinder revolves.

6. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with afurnace-chamber, of an inclined cylindrical vessel extending across saidchamber, in direct heating contact with the fire, revolubly mountedinbearings in the opposite ends thereof and adapted to contain the brine,a supply-pipe and a float for regulating the height of the brine, andmeans for removing the salt therefrom while revolving.

7. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with afurnace-chamber, of an inclined cylindrical vessel extending across saidchamber, revolubly mounted in bearings in the opposite ends thereof andadapted to contain the brine, a conveyer comprising a series of scraperstravelin gin guide-rails removably secured within the vessel, and waysforming a continuation of said rails upon which said guide-railsareadapted to slide in removing the conveyer.

8. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with afurnace-chamber, of an inclined cylindrical vessel extending across saidchamber, revolubly mounted in bearings in the opposite ends thereof andadapted to contain the brine, a hood removablysecured over theupper endof said cylinder, an exhaustpipe to draw off the moisture therefrom, andan air-inlet pipe communicating With the atmosphere and adapted todischarge cold air at or near the surface of the brine.

9. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with a furnace, ofan inclined vessel revolubly supported within the furnace in directheating contact, of a conveyer stationarily secured within the vesselbut -rernovable therefrom, comprising the guide-rails 26, sprockets 30and chain 32, carrying the scrapers 32*, and the ways 35, upon which theconveyer is adapted to slide when drawn out from the vessel.

10. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with a furnace 1,vessel 5, mounted on the antifriction-rollers 8, and provided with thehood 1S, and conveyer 24 within the vessel, of the trunnion 12, securedto the head 10, and mounted in the bracket 7, carrying thedrive-sprocket, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. In an apparatus for the purpose described, the combination with thefurnacechamber, of an inclined cylindrical Vessel extending across thesame, the brackets 6 and 7 carrying the rollers 8, revolubly supportingsaid vessel, the rollers 9 acting against the head 10 of the vessel,thetrunnion 12 carried by the head, the conveyer 24 carrying the moldboard31, and having its lower end pivotally mounted in said head, allintended to operate substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In an apparatus for making salt, the combination with a furnace, ofan inclined cylindrical vessel extending across the furnace androtatably mounted in bearings in front and rear thereof, a conveyerremovably supported within the cylinder, comprising the guide-rails 26,connecting member 27, and U shaped connecting member 28 carrying thetrunnion 28, and moldboard 31, the sprockets 3O journaled in saidmembers and the endless chain 32 carrying the scrapers 32 In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS J. BUREAN. \Vitnesses GEORGE KUNZE, OTTO F. BARTHEL.

